The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-07-17

n - n
n.n naro.r h,,t mon the fortunes OF the yati-
San Dr O,Reil,v SEGA reasons for believing
that chad no returped to Rome Immediately
IN ouittino I,russcls. the Pope tdregory xvii
Who M hicbIv prized hia Diplomatic abilities,
migbt bave reconsidered and cancelled his
mination Ia the Bee OF Peruefs.s and oven
rrised him 10 the Cardipalate, a recompense
rcoueated nv the King of tho Belpians and
half promised by the Pontiff In recalling him.
But when Mopsienor Pecci arrived In Rome on
Nav ~. 1916. Gregory XVI, lying ut deaths
door. oould not read King Leopold's autograph
setter. Before many weeks wore over Cardi-
mai MastaY. Ferretti had succeeded to tho Papal
chair under the name OF Plus TX, and q wiser
man than he. the ex-Nuncio to Brussels, had
cot out for the little Umbrian city in which he
was 10 dwell for more than quarter Of O CEN
tury.
The Bishop OF PerugfA did not receive the
Cardinals hat until December. 1853. 1t has
been positively affirmed In some published
Biographies OF Leo XIII. that Gregory XVI, be.
foro his death. had created Monslgnor Pecci
Cardinal, and that some sinister influence pre-.
vented Plus TX. from giving effect to the act OF
his predecessor. This Ia q mistake. The facts
are recorded In the following memoranda, pre-.
pared under the direction OF the Pope himself
and textually reproduced BY DR.. Ohehly:
The honor OF the sacred purple haa ALREADY
been decreed to him In the intention fneaa
fnenfe) OF Gregory XVI. from the moment tnat
proof IL that the Pope before his death said TO
revsred member OF the Sacred College who en-
joyed his conhdenoe-Cardinal bianchi-that
no was 30 much pleased BY MonsiRnor Peccfs
prompt acQuiesoencei In accepting the bishopr1c
OF Perugia that he was thinking OF promoting
him In the next consistory. This Cardinh on
seeing Aonsignor fecci afterWaro YIN loAD en-
braced him anectfonatoiy. and making MIN sit
down py MS SIDE: Tne Churcn mas expert
enced great loss,' ne SAID. In tho deatn OF
Gregory AVl. am sorry ior III Ior your SAKE
also' Monsienoi' 1or can no" assure you mat
were u not ior tnat oeaen you "ouio % aireaay
sCardinai.
Dr. O'Reilly has devoted nearly two hundred
pages to Bishop Peccf's administration Of his
diocese. It ia true that within this relatively
humble sphere he foreshadowed with curious
completeness the aims, principles, and talents
needed to defend the Church from revolution
and rescue her from ruin. Nor can It DO
doubted that his success at Peruaia recon-
mended the Bishop to his brethren OF the
Sacred College as 1t occupant OF the Papal
chair. Nevertheless. we must pass over this
part OF Pope Leo's life, which extended from
July. 1s4e. to September, 1878. whom he was
summoned to Rome BY the aged Plus TX to
succeed Cardinal de Angels in the post OF
Camerlengo. On Jan. 2. 1878. Pope Plus died.
and. in accordance with Vatican traditions. IL
devolved upon the Cardinal Camerlengo to
administer the Church ad Interim and
to arrange for the election Of new PontiM 1t
was. rs our readers win remember. An anxious
and critical moment for Catholics throughout
the world. Would the italian Government per-
NIT tho election Of . new Pope. who In all Ike
lihood would. like his predecessor denounce
the occupation Of Rome2 Granted that no
Interference with the conolare would be
tolerated by the Catholic powers Though 1t
might have been countenanced by France and
Germany. where the Kulturkampf was In
progressh might not the Vatican and st.
Peters be seized7 These questions, az DR..
O'Reilly reminds US, were earnestly discussed
by the public journals on both sides Of the At
lantic for months before the death Of Plus TX.
Nor were there wanting" says the biographer.
"in the italian press and among italian
statesmen those who would have enthusiast
tically applauded such steps and given effect
i've aid toward their contamination"
Cardinal Pecci. in discharpine the functions
Of Camerleneo, was careful TO afford the Italian
(fOVofnment DT8C9YS n.
blanee Of soyereienty left to the Holy Bee. The
remains OF the deceased Pontifr were laid ont
IN state in st. Peters. and the conclsye which
IN 1915 had assembled In the Ouirinal now met
I'm the Vatican. OF the sixty-four Cardinals
Who were summoned on Feb. 1s, 1878. to choose
a new Pope (only sixty.one were able to obey
the CALI four had been created By Gregory
XVI. and the remaining sixty BY Plus TX. On
the frst ballot Cardinal Joachim Pecci was
named BY twenty-three Cardinals no other
member of the couclaye receiving anything
like that number Of votes. "As the name of
the CsmerlsnRo thus comes up with ominous
frequency he IL seen to be greatly disturbed.
His psle. intellectual. ascetic countenance Ia
overcast by an expression Of mingled dis
may and grief. still, the number twenty.
three Is not half that of tho cleo
tors present. and an absolute two-thinds
majority is necessary to an election" During
the recess which followed the morning session
sach elector had been rejecting ON the quail
ties of the man for whom twenty three votes
had been cast In the afternoon q second bal
Iok ..,.. %oI.c and a. tina ro~oa roooraa5 u,